Smith spoke with ESPN’s Dave McMenamin about the benching and said that while he was not against it, he wishes there had been more communication about the move.

"We didn't talk," JR Smith told ESPN of his benching. "(Tyronn Lue) sent me a text (Monday) and I told him, 'No problem.' I didn't know that it was a 'talk.' … I'm not upset about it. I just wish there would have been more dialogue, I guess."